Here are two articles from today's Los Angeles Times. The first details the mortage interest tax deduction and efforts to -- maybe -- eliminate it. Here's the title and link: A look at proposals to limit the mortgage interest tax deduction. Of course, if the deduction is eliminated, California homeowners will be hit harder than homeowners in other states.

The second article is Short-sale purchases can easily fall apart. Here's the link. Of course, if you've been trying to buy a home in the greater L.A. area for any amount of time, you probably could have written this.